Monday, July 17, 2006

We’ve all been there before…. Frightened and anxious as the swivled chair rotates around and we are faced with our reflection in the massive mirror. The hair dresser utters some inaudible, French (tres jolie!) and we are meant to coo in adoration. But sometimes, as rare as it may be, we are turned around in that chair only to discover that we don’t recognize the HAIR that’s gawking back at us! Welcome to victims of a hair trauma…Here is a fantastic hair horror story shared by my hair-crazed friend, Jenny Cohen:More or less in her own words - "I went to Oscar Blondie to get my hair colored and when they washed the color off I could tell that it lacked a brightness. There was no definitive hair color (i.e. blonde, brunette, auburn, etc.) that I could categorize my new mane. It lacked everything. I looked insipid, ashy and sullen. It literally looked like a beige couch. Not only had my base been lifted to match my skintone exactly and provide no contrast, the highlights were ashy and beige. I told him that this wasn't what I asked for and he said, "well beige is the new blonde." I replied, "you'll be hearing from my lawyer." Meanwhile, crying and hiding my beige disaster, I came home and immediately jumped into the shower. I washed my hair nearly six times to try and strip the color - to the point that the cuticle was inflamed and my hair was puffy and my fingers were pruned. By the third day I actually took draino and poured it on my locks in an attempt to reverse the effects of the colorist. It worked to strip the color, but it also broke the rest of my hair to pieces."

I’m sure that you all are wondering, with a psycho hair freak such as Jenny, what products does she actually trust to put on her beloved tressles.ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE!!!Jenny’s favorite hair products:Kerastase Oleo-Relax Ultimate Controlling Elixer Serum – “This is the only oil product that doesn’t dull my color. It gives more texture to the color on the ends. It creates more of a golden sheen. Only apply on dry hair to the ends. Use less then a dime size,” cautions Jenny.Kerastase Mini Travel Set #2 Shampoo and Conditioner for thick hair, Masqueintense – available at salon’s that carry the ENTIRE line, only. This is very hard to come by. Jenny says, “Make sure the label reads, ‘Made in Spain’ to ensure that the product is authentic.” “I only use the travel size products after a trip to Miami where my hair, texture and color looked more vibrant and healthy when using the travel set. I believe that the ingredients in the travel sized products is more potent then the larger, mass-produced sizes,” explains Jenny.Frederic Fekkai Technician Shampoo for Dry, Damaged, Color-Treated Hair – “This is the only shampoo that I will alterante Kerastase with. It actually strips the hair, thus brightening it, because it is such a strong shampoo. With the avocado oil, it’s better for humidity because it weighs the hair down,” says Jenny.Frederic Fekkai Protein Rx Reparative Conditioner – “I only use the product in the bottle, not in the jar because I don’t like the way the jar looks. I’m not experiemental with products because using a product that contains the wrong ingredients can ruin my hair. I use this conditioner once a month, only in California where the water is softer. It strengthens the hair, prevents breakage and brings the color back to its true state.”Mason Pearson Child’s Sensitive Hair Brush - “I use this brush when I travel to detangle and distribute oils because it doesn’t contain any nylon brisstles. Nylon’s plastic so it breaks the hair if it’s not first detangled.”Mason Pearson Junior Hair Brush - “I use this brush after the detangling brush to massage the scalp. And then I get into the shower and I wash my hair.”EXTRA TIP:Jenny swears by only washing her hair every three to four days. “Only have a professional blow it out,” she says. “If you do it yourself, you are bound to break the hair. This is one of the times when it’s imperative to ‘not try this at home.’”P.S. “If you want some lift in your hair, brush it upside down with a round brush and bend the ends,” adds Jenny.Tell us YOUR hair horror stories!